Parents Fear Children In Danger On School Campuses

Aug 26, 2008 4:36 PM

Details of the "ADT National Back-to-School Security Survey" show that nearly half of the 1,948 parents who responded expressed concerns that a sexual predator could target their child while at school. More than a third have concerns that their child could be abducted by a stranger. A majority said they would be willing to pay for additional security systems to help schools keep unwanted visitors off campuses.

"Through this survey, parents are making it clear they want local school boards to do more to protect children," says Patrick Fiel, ADT's public security advisor and a former head of security for Washington, D.C. Public Schools. "We need cooperation among adults and children, proper planning and more innovation to ensure that young students are as safe as possible."

Fiel offers the following six steps parents can take to help create safer schools:
• Talk to children about school security
• Visit the child's campus and talk with an administrator about the school's security plan
• Become familiar with the plans, procedures and technologies working well at other schools
• Get to know the law enforcement officials assigned to a child's school
• Join other parents who may also be concerned about the security of their children
• Do not keep firearms easily accessible in the home

There are currently more than 500,000 registered sex offenders in the United States, according to the National Alert Registry. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports more than 700 children are abducted each day.

"These numbers underscore the need for all stakeholders in education to help improve school safety," says Brad Dennis, director of search operations for the KlaasKids Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps stop crimes against children. "By forming and promoting partnerships with concerned parents and other citizens, we can become part of the solution to keep our kids safe."

Highlights of the survey include:
• 46 percent of parents said they are very or somewhat concerned with the security at their child's school
• 45 percent of parents are very or somewhat concerned that their child could be targeted by a sexual predator while at school
• 38 percent expressed at least some concern that their child could be abducted while at school by a stranger
• 36 percent are concerned that a violent episode, such as a school shooting, could occur at their child's school
• 58 percent said they would be very or somewhat willing to pay for additional security at their child's school

Among survey respondents, 55 percent said it was important for their child's school district to implement a visitor identification management system and 54 percent agreed that every state should require one at schools. Currently, only Florida mandates these systems be implemented in all public schools. These computerized systems allow schools to scan the driver's license of a visitor and check the name with a government database for criminal offenses and sex offender registration. The systems can also flag people who should not have access to a child, such as a non-custodial parent. Once visitor access is granted, an ID badge is issued that must be worn during the visit.

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